Tile mastic applying machine



wwmm m 1960 D. KAZIMIERCZAK 2,958,881

TILE MASTIC APPLYING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

87 & DYomzY KAZ\M\E2CZAK ATTO 2M E s Nov. 8, 1960 D. KAZIMIERCZAK TILE MASTIC APPLYING MACHINE,

' Filed May 5, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 g. w m mm 8 "hi Mal/ m 8.1

m N2 2% wmq m y TE INVENTOR. DYONlZY KAZIMIERCZAK Nov. 8, 1960 Filed May 3, 1957 PIG-.4

D. KAZIMIERCZAK 2,958,881

TILE MASTIC APPLYING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

DYomzY KAZWMEIZCZAK AT TC) 2 M EYS a, a a.

United States Patent TILE MASTIC APPLYING MACHINE Dyonizy Kazimierczak, 213 E. Center St., Stockertown, Pa.

Filed May 3, 1957, Ser. No. 656,792

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-50) This invention relates to improvements in fluent material dispensers and applicators for applying fluent material to surfaces and is particularly directed to a novel and improved apparatus for applying tile mastic to floor surfaces in the laying of tile floors.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an easily controlled and operated machine for automatically applying and spreading mastic or similar fluent material onto a floor surface, the machine being simply and compactly constructed and being easily maneuvered and being extremely effective in use to provide the desired application and spreading of the material onto the surface. 4 Another important object of the present invention is to provide a floor processing machine, which includes a mobile frame, that is extremely maneuverable, and on which a prime mover and fluent material reservoir are compactly mounted and which supports a rotary brush, that is supplied with the fluent material from the fluent material container or reservoir by a pump means.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a drive means for the rotary brush and to provide an operating means for the pump means, the rotary brush being formed with a passageway for the fluent material, so that the material flows through the brush, rather than to the outer circumference thereof, and the pump means being operated in timed relation with the rotation of the brush, so that the material is force fed from the container to the passageway on each rotative movement of the brush.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shaft, which is rotated by a power means mounted on the frame and to which the rotary brush is fixed and on which a cam is fixedly circumposed in relation with the brush, the cam being operatively connected to the pump means to force feed the fluent material from the container through the brush in a manner so thatthe material is fed through the center of the brush and is immediately and completely engaged by and spread by the bristles of the brush, thereby achieving the desired depth and extent of covering of the material on the surface.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide means, which is controlled from the handle for the frame, for selectively closing off the communicating means between the container and the pump means, without interfering with the rotary movement of the brush.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a resilient mounting for the brush. so that the brush is resiliently urged into contact with the floor surface and to provide means, which is operated by a control means mounted on the handle, for selectively raising the brush out .of engagement with the surface, Without discontinuing the rotary movement of the brush.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a simple drive means for operating the brush, the

pump means and an agitator means, that is disposed in the reservoir or container, such drive means including a rotary shaft, which is simply and compactly driven by a prime mover that is mounted on the frame.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective pump means, which is extremely compact and which is extremely durable and efiective, the pump means being operable to force feed the material in timed relation with the rotation of the brush and being constructed for idling movement, under the operation of a control member, that is easily actuated by the operator of the machine.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide a machine, which is easily maneuvered by an operator by means of a handle member connected to the mobile frame, the handle member providing a support for the selective lifting means for the brush and a support for the selective operating means for closing off the inlet between the reservoir and the pump means, without interfering with the rotary movement of the brush.

The foregoing and ancillary objects are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a fluent material applicator or surface processing machine, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

4 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2 and illustrating in detail the pump means;

Figure 3a is a detailed illustration of the pump means, showing the pump in retracted position, with the pump in communication with the reservoir or container;

Figure 4 is a bottom planview of the machine, with portions thereof broken away and shown in sections;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line S S of Figure 3; and,

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the machine 10 is particularly, though not exclusively, designed for use in applying mastic to a floor surface, preparatory to the laying of floor tiles on the surface. It is well known that, in applying the tile blocks, the mastic, which is a fluent material, must be very thinly spread and evenly applied over the surface to avoid the bubbling up of the material, between the edges of the tile, when the blocks of tile are laid on the mastic. The machine 10 is provided to spread the mastic and to evenly and properly apply it to the floor surface in an easy and simple manner, since one operator can cover an extremely large area. Of course, such use of the machine is merely exemplary, since the machine can be used for applying a fluent material to other surfaces and can be used for applying various other types of fluent materials, such as coating materials, to roofs and similar surfaces.

The machine 10 includes'a base 12, which is mobile and which constitutes a frame. The base 12 is formed from a flat sheet of suitable sturdy material and is provided at its front end 14 with wheels 16, that are fixed on the ends of an axle 18, which is rotatably mounted in suitable supports 20, which are suitably fastened to the under side of the base. Caster wheels 22 are secured tolthe underside of the base at the rear end 24.

Upstanding cars 26 are provided at the side edges of the base, adjacent the rear end 24, and swively support a handle element 28, the free endsof the lower fork end of the .handle being pivotally secured to the ears by suitable pivot elements 32.

A reservoir 34 for the fluent material is mounted on the top of the basev Preferably, the reservoir is in the nature of a cylindrical container for a fluent material. To accommodate and support the container 34, the base 12 is formed with an upstanding collar 36, that may be directly attached to the top of the base 12 or may upstand from a plate 38, secured to the upper surface of the base, as shown in Figure 3. The collar is formed with bayonet slots 40, for the purpose of locking the container 34 in an upright position, the container having radially extending ears 42, which are adapted to fit in the bayonet slots 40. The collar 36 is of an internal diameter to snugly receive the conventional bead on the open end of the container or can. Thus, the container or can, which is of the commercial type, is secured in an up-ended position on the base and is locked within the collar 36 by means of the bayonet slots 40 and the cars 42 on the container, which ears. may or may not be an integral part of the container and may be suitably fixed thereto, if the can or container is not formed with such ears or locking elements.

A prime mover 44 is secured by bolts 46, affixed to the mounting flange 48 thereof, on the top of the base, at the rear end portion thereof. The base is provided with a vertical opening 50 to accommodate the drive chain or belt 52, which is entrained over the drive pulley 54 on the armature shaft of the prime mover and over the driven pulley 56, which is fixedly circumposed on the driven shaft 58, which underlies the base. The shaft 58 has one end rotatably journalled in a depending support 59 and the opposing end is journalled in a depending support 61, which extends from a sub-frame 65, that is disposed transversely of the base. The forward end of the shaft 58 terminates in a worm gear 60, which is enmeshed with a gear 62, that is fixedly circumposed on a vertical, rotary shaft 64. The shaft 64 is disposed vertically of the base and extends through an opening 66 in the base. The upper end of the shaft 64, which extends above the base, extends through the opening 66, that is sealed off by the sealing member 68 and protrudes into the reservoir or container 34. The upper end 70 of the shaft is splined to frictionally receive a socket 72, which constitutes the center hub of an agitator element 74. The agitator element 74 includes a pair of arms 76 and 78, which radially extend from the hub, the arm 78 extending outwardly, at right angles to the shaft, and being disposed to scrape across the upper surface of the plate 38. The arm 76 extends upwardly and outwardly from the hub, extending above the arm 78, and both arms serve to agitate the fluent material, within the container or reservoir 34, for the purpose of maintaining the material in a fluent state, so that it will flow into the pump means, as will be described.

A rotary brush 80 is rotatably mounted on the lower end of the shaft 64. The brush, which is more specifically disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial Number 656,944 filed May 3, 1957, now Patent No. 2,871,495, includes a brush head 82 from which bristles 84 depend in a particular manner, relative to a vertical passage 86 that is formed through the brush head 82. The passage 86, which is in the form of an arcuate slot, is formed concentric to the center of the brush head and is adapted to receive the fluent material from the container or reservoir on each rotative movement of the brush, as will be described. The brush head 82 is formed with a center opening 87, in which a hub 88 is fitted, the hub being retained in position by a center reinforcing framework 90. The hub is provided with an axial key 89, which is slidably disposed within a key way 91 formed in the lower end of the shaft, so that the brush is secured to the shaft for rotative movement therewith but is capable of axial movement relative thereto for a purpose to be described.

A seat 92 is formed in the underside of the hub portion of the gear 62 and provides a seat for a coil spring 94,

the lower end of which is seated on the lowermost plate 96 of the reinforcing frame 90. The spring constantly urges the brush into engagement with the surface and provides a shock observing means for the brush.

Means is provided for raising and holding the brush out of engagement with the floor surface, such means being operatively mounted on the handle 28 so as to be easily accessible to the operator of the machine, as the machine is being manually moved over the floor surface. Such means includes a hand lever 98, which is pivotally mounted, as at 100, on the handle and which has a cable 182 aflixed to the end thereof. The cable 102 is entrained over a guide pulley 184, as shown in Figure 4, the guide pulley being rotatably mounted on a stub-shaft 10 6, which is suitably aflixed to the underside of the base 12. The end of the cable is attached to an elongated lever 108, which is provided with a series of openings for receiving the end of the cable, which can be adjusted by means of the axially spaced series of openings. The lever 108 is pivoted as at 112 to an arm 114, which is provided with a lateral finger 116, that underlies the undersurface of the brush at the peripheral edge thereof. Thus, by moving the hand lever 98, the brush can be raised, against the urgement of the spring 94, through the operation of the cable, the lever 108, arm 114 and lateral finger 116. By this means, the brush can be raised out of engagement with the floor surface, without interrupting the operation of the prime mover and without interrupting the operation of the pump means, the brush being lifted and maintained out of engagement with the floor surface but still being rotated by the drive means. Such operation of the machine may be desired, when more of the fluent material is to be discharged on the floor than is to be immediately spread or applied by the brush.

The fluent material is force fed from the container or reservoir 34 through the passage 86 by a pump means 118, which is shown in detail in Figures 3 and 3a. The pump means 118 is operated by the rotary shaft 64 by means of an eccentric 121), the eccentric reciprocating an arm 124, having a strap end surrounding the eccentric. The arm is provided with an axial extension 126, which is secured by a 'pivot member 128 to an off set 130 of a sleeve 132. The sleeve 132 slides back and forth in a cylindrical housing 134, which is fixed to the underside of the base 12. The off set 130 slides in a slot 136, which is formed in the rearward end of the cylindrical housing, and the sleeve 132 is moved back and forth in the'housing by the reciprocatory movement of the arm 124.

The inner end of the cylindrical housing is closed off by a block 138, which has an axially extending passage 140, such axially extending passage communicating with the interior of the housing and with a lateral port 142 that extends through the cylindrical housing to the exterior and is communicated with a flexible tube 144, that constitutes the outlet means and which is fixedly disposed over the brush head 82 in position so as to be in registry with the passage 86 upon each rotative movement of the brush. Depending upon the viscosity of the material, a check valve .143 may be provided in the passage, as shown in Figure 3. In dealing with tile mastic, asphalt and the like materials, a check valve is not necessary, since the material will not flow through the passage but must be forcibly fed therethrough by the operation of the pump means. With some fluent materials, that may be less viscuous, the check valve 143 may be used to prevent the accidental discharge of the material through the passage.

A piston rod 146 is slidably mounted within the cylindrical housing and extends through an opening 148, which is centrally formed in the rear wall 150 of the housing. A piston unit 152 is fixed on the inner or front end of the piston rod and is slidably and sealingly disposed in the sleeve 132. A stop 154 is fixedly circumposed on the piston rod by a set screw 156 and is disposed within the cylindrical housing 134. An outer stop 158 is fixed on the rearwardly extending and external end of the piston rod by a set screw 160.

The sleeve 132 is formed with an internal, annular flange 162, that is provided with a center opening 164, within which the piston rod slides. A washer 166 is disposed against the rearward face of the flange 162 and the forward end of a coil spring 168 bears against the washer. The rearward end of the spring bears against the front face of the stop 154.

An opening 170 is formed through the plate 38 and the base 12 and is registered with an opening 172, which is formed through the wall of the cylindrical housing 134. An aperture 174- is formed in the sleeve 132, at its upper wall portion and adjacent its forward end, the aperture being registrable with the openings 170 and 172, as shown in Figure 3a, for the flow of the fluent material from the reservoir into the sleeve, between the piston 152 and the block 138, when the piston rod is in its retracted position.

In the operation of the pump, considering the two posi tions of the pump, as shown in Figures 3 and 3a, the eccentric 120 is rotated by the shaft 64 to slide the arm 12.4 rearwardly and move the sleeve rearwardly in the cylindrical housing. As the sleeve moves rearwardly, the internal flange or shoulder 162 compresses the spring 168, which urges the step 154 rearwardly and moves the piston rod 146 and the piston 152 rearwardly in the housing 134. The piston rod and piston are moved to the position, as shown in Figure 3a, and the sleeve 132 moves to the position, as shown in Figure 3a, wherein the aperture 174 is registered with the openings 170 and 172. In such position, the fluent material flows through the registered openings and aperture and enters the forward end of the sleeve, between the piston 152 and the block 138. As the eccentric further rotates, the arm 124 is drawn forwardly and, as the arm moves forwardly, the sleeve 132 is moved forwardly in the housing 134 and the flange 162 bears on the rearward face of the piston and forces the piston 152 forwardly to force the fluent material through the bore 140 in the block and through the outlet port 142 into the tube 144. The material is forced through the tube 144 and through the slot or passageway 86 in the brush, which is being rotated by the shaft 64 so as to immediately pick up and spread the fluent material over the floor surface.

It is to be particularly noted that the piston rod and piston assembly are moved rearwardly by the spring 168, which is compressed by the flange 162 and which bears against the stop 154. The piston is positively moved forwardly by the flange 162, which bears against the rearward face thereof, and the sleeve is moved forwardly in the housing, such movement of the sleeve closing off the openings 170 and 172, so that the flow of the fluent material is cut off as the piston is moved forwardly to force the material through the bore 140.

At certain times, such as, when a sufficient amount of the material has been deposited on the floor surface and it is desired to have the brush operate, without the discharge of further material, means is provided for interrupting the operation of the pump, without discontinuing the rotation of the brush. Such means includes a rotatable shaft 176, which is rotatably mounted transversely of the base and is journalled in the depending vertical flanges of supporting ears 178, as shown in Figure 4. The shaft has a radial stop 180, to limit its rotative movement and an eccentric 182 is fixedly circumposed thereon. The eccentric is movable through a slot 184 that is formed in the base and the eccentric is in line with the stop 158 on the outer end of the piston rod 146. As shown in Figure 3a, when the eccentric is in an upper position, the piston rod is free to reciprocate in the housing so as to force the fluent material from the housing through the tubing 144. When it is desired to interrupt the operation of the pump, the shaft 176 is rotated to swing the eccentric 182 forwardly into a position where it blocks the rearward movement of the piston rod 146 by engaging the stop 158. In such position of the eccentric, the sleeve 132 is moved rearwardly, in the same action as described above by the aim 124 and the spring 168 is compressed. However, no movement is transmitted to the piston rod and piston, since the piston rod cannot move and the stop 154 is immoveable. Thus, the spring 168 is merely more tightly compressed but no rearward movement is transmitted to the piston rod. Obviously, the piston, locked in its forward position prevents the flow of the fluent material from the reservoir into the cylindrical housing 134.

A pulley 186 is fixedly circumposed on the shaft 176 and a cable 188 is trained over and fixed to the pulley. The cable 188 is attached to a hand lever 190, which is pivoted to the handle 28. A return spring 192 is coiled on the shaft 176 and fixed to the underside of the base by a screw 179. To rotate the shaft 176, the hand lever 190 is moved downwardly to pull the cable 188 and rotate the shaft, against the urgement of the spring, which, when the hand lever is released, automatically returns the shaft 176 to the inoperative position of the eccentric, as shown in Figure 3a.

It can be seen that the machine can be easily moved over the floor surface by virtue of its compactness and by virtue of the arrangement of the wheels and the handles. In its operation, the brush and the pump will operate automatically to evenly and completely spread the fluent material, which is force fed from the reservoir to the brush by the pump means. As described above, the pump means can operate, when the brush is held out of engagement with the floor surface and the rotary brush can operate, when the pump is idling.

While the preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described herein, other forms may be realized as come within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An apparatus for applying and spreading a fluent material onto a floor surface or the like, comprising a mobile frame, a container for the material mounted on the frame, a rotary shaft rotatably mounted vertically in the frame below the container and depending from the frame, a rotary applicator element secured on the lower end of the shaft, a prime mover mounted in the frame, means connecting the prime mover to the shaft for rotating the shaft, said applicator element having a solid head formed with a vertical passage for the flow of material to the surface being treated, a cylinder horizontally mounted on the frame and having an inlet underlying the container and disposed in communication therewith for the flow of material from the container into the cylinder, outlet means connected to the cylinder and overlying the applicator, a piston assembly workably mounted in the cylinder for ejecting a quantity of material through the outlet means, means actuated by the shaft and connected to the piston assembly for actuating it in timed relation with the rotation of the applicator element whereby on each rotation of the applicator element, the outlet means is in alignment with the vertical passage therein and the piston assembly is operative to eject a quantity of material through the outlet means and the vertical passage onto the surface to be immediately and completely spread on the surface by the applicator element, said cylinder having a passage leading from the inlet to the outlet means, and said piston assembly including a portion slidably disposed exteriorly of the cylinder, the connection between said actuating means and said piston assembly being a spring loaded lost motion connection normally affecting operation of said piston assembly by said actuating means, means engageable with said piston assembly portion to hold the piston assembly in a position sealing off the passage Without interrupting the operation of the actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Carpenter Dec. 27, 1927 Woods Sept. 19, 1933 Brown et a1. Oct. 3, 1933 Bickford Jan. 3, 1939 Backlund Apr. 27, 1943 Ruckerr Mar. 16, 1954 

